Lever operated tiltabler receptacle structure



June 29, 1948. w. H. WHEELER LEVER OPERATED, TILTABLE REGEPTACLE STRUCTURE Filed 001'.. 23, 1946 Tlc'f..

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INVENTOR. /a /4/4 M l//asc if.

Patented June 29, 1948 2,444,125 LEVER. OPERATED TILTABLE RECElTACLE STBUCT URE William H. Wheeler, New York, N. Y. Application October 23, 1946, Serial No. 705,193 3 Claims. (Cl. S12-155) This invention relates to a container device and more specifically to material handling and storing device or receptacle which may be positioned and operated beneath a kitchen sink as a garbage receptacle, or in any other desired and convenient location for receiving, and storing other materials or articles.

'I'his application is a continuation-in-part of applicants application, Sei'.` No. 377,792, tiled February 7, i941, which has become abandoned.

In general, it is an object of the invention to provide a device of the character described, which will emciently perform thepurposes for which it is intended, which is simple and economical of construction, which can be expeditiously, conveniently and safely manipulated, and `which can be readily manufactured and assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material handling and storing receptacle apparatus which is hidden from view but in which therel is not any door in the usual sense of that word; which may be placed under a sink or other projecting equipment and with all operating parts back of the front plane of` the sink or equipment; which tends to accumulate moisture or liquids at one portion of the bottom interior thereof and not over the entire bottom; with which only a slight movement of the cover is necessary to obtain entrance into the receptacle; which is held in open position and in closed position by the action oi gravity; which may use substantially all oi the vertical distance between the projecting equipment or sink and floor; the` noise and motion of the closing of which is decreased by the action of the very cover which closes the receptacle; which is automatically and tightly closable: which has a variable open position; which may be easily removed from its support: which may be completely removed with its support without any action except a lifting motion; out from which a frail temporary container may be lifted without danger of bursting; and which may be positioned as high as the projecting equipment, such as a sink, or other limiting element will permit the container to be built up, i. e., to a position requiring less bending or stooping in 'using it.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described,

and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the ci.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device embodying one form of the invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section with parts broken away, of the device shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section with parts broken away,` of a modiiied form of the device shown in Fig. 2.

It is desirable that whatever little or cramped space is available beneath certain projecting equipment. such as `a kitchen sink, should be used as completely as possible, and that any apparatus placed therein whennot in use preferably should be out of sight. The present invention contemplates a device which accomplishes these advantageous ends, and which may provide those results set forth above.

In the drawing (see Figs.` 1 and 2), it denotes a sink, or similar article, having an apron l2. Beneath the sink is a garbage receptacle or open top chamber it seated in a cradle It pivoted on a pair of pivots I8 on the floor 2t a little behind the vertical plane of the apron l2. The pivots are arranged so that the cradle rotates in an arc in a vertical plane at right angles to the apron i2.

The center of gravity of the cradle and receptacle, when they are in closed position, is behind the pivot. This holds the front panel 22, supported from the cradle by intermediate piece 2t, against the frontzedge of the cover 2t which is itself movably carried by links 2 each respectively and pivotally attached to the uprights at the sides of the device. The uprights are held in position by any convenient means such as nailing or the like. The open top chamber M, its supporting cradle i6, and masking panel 22 together constitute a receptacle structure.

There is an opening 32 in the front panel to permit the toe of an operator to reach therethrough to a lever 34 which is preferably entirely behind the front of the panel 22 and attached to cradle It and free to receive a rotary motion in a vertical plane and capable of transmitting that motion to the cradle, the front panel and receptacle. When this occurs the device is brought to the open position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 2, with the mouth of the receptacle presented to the operator. The reason for having the tcp slope down from front to back is to avoid raising the rear portion of the cover too high as the device opens, which would require more space and more force.

As the device first opens under initial pressure of one's foot on pedal 34, the back top edge of the receptacle rises somewhat, carrying with it the rear end of cover 26. The cover continues during initial opening movement of the receptacle to lie parallel to and in contact with the top side edges of the receptacle. it being permitted to do so since the link 28 is pivoted at both ends. During the outward turning of the device, the top side edges of receptacle slide under the cover until the plane of these edges starts to dip down and thereafter the cover rides on the back top edge of receptacle until full open position is reached as shown in Figure 2. It is seen, there- I, fore, that in traveling from closed to open position, the cover rises slightly, slides on the top edges of the receptacle and near the end of the movement opening the device, the rear end of the cover lowers. i

One or more fingers 36 attached to the receptacle extend beyond the 'side and catch against a pin 44, positioned in one of a plurality of holes 46 in upright 30, and prevents the receptacle and its cradle from swinging forward through more than a predetermined angle. The angle may be varied by placing the pin in various ones of the holes. When the receptacle and cradle are in the forward open position their center of gravity is in front of the pivots I8. This maintains them in open position until they are intentionally moved to the rearward closed position. As the device is returned to closed position the cover retracesthe path described above during the opening of the device. However, the small amount of sliding friction of cover on the receptacle is now increased due to the acute angular relation of the link 28 to the plane of cover 26. During the iirst part of the closing of the device the cover slides freely over the rear top edge of the receptacle but, when the cover is parallel to and in contact with, the top side edges of the receptacle and the receptacle slides inwardly in relation to the cover, the sliding friction tends to cause the link 28 to turn clockwise (in view Fig. 2) developing a bindf ing action between the front part of the cover and the receptacle. This increases the friction, and the amount so developed depends on the angular relation of the link to the plane of cover and this relation is adjustable by positioning pivot 38 in slot 40. It is seen therefore, that the velocity of the device in closing is decreased and to an adjustable degree. By these means the device opens easily under pressure of ones foot on the pedal and closes more slowly and without noisy impact. In closed'postion, the cover is held tight against the top edges of the receptacle. This results from gravity causing a counter-clockwise turning rforce which forces the receptacle and the panel 22 against the cover which is restrained by the link 28 and pivot 38, the link being at an acute angle to the cover.

Any of the embodiments of the invention may be installed in a self-enclosure to house the device, the front panel forming thek front of such enclosure.

Means are provided for holding, in receptacle I4- a temporary container, e. g., a paper bag, with its top open and its bottom above the floor of the receptacle. These means as shown in Figs.

bent into horizontal feet 54. There arel means for supporting the elements 50 so that feet 6s are above the oor 56 of the container. The screw 62 may be inserted into any one oi' a plurality of holes 68 in the front of the receptacle I4, the one chosen governing the height of the feet. Rotatable clips 68 on the sides of the receptacle hold the sides of the paper bag against the side walls of the receptacle, and the upper end of one or more of the elements 50 may be bent into the receptacle as a hook 62 to catch the front wall of the paper bag and to provide a handle for lifting elements 50 from the receptacle.

When it is desired to remove the paper bag and its contents, clips are disengaged, pin 52 removed from whatever hole 68 it is in, and elements 50 and 54 are raised as a unit. In this fashion the bottom of the bag which may be moist and weak is supported by feet 54 until the bag is deposited elsewhere. Since the floor 56 of the receptacle is, or may be, at an angle with the horizontal, any liquid or moisture on that floor tends to collect toward the front in a single portion, keeping the remainder of the iioor generally dry. This also allows a small amount of deodorant liquid to be placed in the can without wetting the bag, or if the bag be strong, such as a canvas or fabric bag for soiled articles of clothing, the deodorant liquid, or the like, may be sprayed or spilled directly thereon into the bag with any leakage merely resulting in similar forward collection. J

The receptacle I4 may be removed from the cradle when they are in forward position by merely raising the former a small distance so thatl extension 36 may be slipped over pin 44 and then letting the cradle pivot forward until the receptacle is entirely exposed.

The device described above may be broader than deep and vice versa to fit the available space under any sink or other object.

It is noted that the receptacle is preferably 'rectangular in horizontal` section. It accommodates the square bags. now in use. It may be any shape. It is entirely out of sight and yet there is no door in the usual sense. The lower front edge of the receptacle being spaced back of the front panel permits the bottom of the receptacle to be below the top of toe opening 32 and still not interfere with the entrance of the toe to operate the pedal. The slant of the cover reduces the displacement of the cover as the 'device is opened, and hence little force is necessary to operate the device. Since there need be but small displacement, the receptacle may be taller in any given space. Ob-

- viously lthe entire device may be removed by .1 and 2, take the form of a pair of flat elements simply lifting it oi its pivot. Thus the spaces and objects surrounding the device are always immediately available without any disconnecting or unscrewing orl other mechanical operations. Weights may be added to vary the position of the ycenter of gravity` of the receptacle and cradle.

A modified form of the device is shown in Fig. 3. In this form, the cradle 3 I 6 is hinged by hinge 3I5 to a iioor piece 3H. The cradle is supported in its closed position by a stop 3I9. It is held in its open position by a check linkage or string 32|, or the like, which is attached to the front panel 322 and any convenient iixed side pin 3M.

The cover in Fig. 3 is shown with two ears 328 attached thereto at the front, one at each side, and two similar ears 2329 at the back. These ears have slots 33| which ride on fixed pegs 333 attached to a side wall of the sink or other object. The ears, slots and pegs allow suilicient play in the cover which sits against the top of the receptacle 3M, to permit tight closure by gravity without precise adjustment of the receptacle in relation thereto.

The device may be used under any element such as a shelf or may be constructed with its own enclosure.

Such a construction, or modified forms thereof within the scope of the invention, may be employed in handling and storing material other than garbage, e. g., laundry or soiled articles of clothing. Such an embodiment may be eniployed to advantage as a soiled diaper receptacle with the apparatus in the form of a selfcontained unit as in the case of a laundry hamper, the pivoted receiver being located beneath a xed or hinged top and behind a front concealing panel or wall with the latter recessed or shaped to permit toe-access to a concealed tilting pedal, or similar operating means. The -front wall of the receptacle and the masking wall may be made as a unitary structure or formed together as one piece with the remaining receptacle structure located or concealed behind it to be swung out therewith just as in the case of the separate receptacle seated on the pivoted cradle with the masking wall mounted on the latter. In all such embodiments the masking Wall not only serves as concealment for both receptacle structure and its supporting means, as well as for the foot-depressi-ble operating means, but also to assure an esthetic appearance with the masking wall blending in or attractively contrasting with adjacent structure of an outside casing of the device or that of other objects, such as kitchen cabinet structure.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and dierent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the followingF claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A material handling and storing device comprising receptacle structure including an open top chamber providing a receptive space, means providing for rotation of said receptacle structure about a substantially horizontally disposed axis between a forwardly-tilted position and a rear substantially upright position, masking wall structure forming a fpart of said receptacle structure and mounted in front of the chamber receptive space with the front face of said masking wall structure in a substantially vertical position when said receptacle structure is in its rear substantially upright position and rotatable therewith, and operating means located generally to the rear of the front face of said masking wall strucutre for rotating said receptacle structure about the substantially horizontal axis, said masking wall structure being so shaped as to provide for ready access to said operating means by an operative member from in front of said wall structure.

2. A material handling and storing device comprising receptacle structure including an open top chamber providing a receptive space, means for supporting said receptacle structure in a substantially upright rear position, means providing for rotation of said supporting means about a substantially horizontally disposed axis to carry said receptacle structure between its substantially upright rear position and a forwardly-tilted' position, a masking wall structure forming a part of said receptacle structure and xed to said supporting means and mounted in front of the chamber receptive space with the front face of said masking wall structure in a substantially vertical position when said receptacle structure is in its rear substantially upright position and rotatable therewith, and pedal means located generally to the rear of the front face of said masking wall structure for rotating said supporting means and receptacle structure forward about the substantially horizontal axis, said masking wall structure being so shaped as to provide in the vicinity of the bottom thereof for ready access to said pedal means by an operative member from in front of said wall structure.

3. A material handling and storing device comprising,.in combination, a frame structure having a front opening defined by substantially vertical side front edges, a receptacle structure including an open top chamber providing a receptive space, said receptacle structure having a rear side and alront side and being mounted for movement through the front opening into said frame structure, means in said frame structure rotatably mounting said receptacle structure between a. forwardly-tilted receiving position and a substantially upright rear position about a transverse axis to the rear of the front side and forward of the rear side of said receptacle structure, masking wall means forming a part of said receptacle structure at the front side thereof and mounted in front of the chamber receptive space, said masking wall means being of such shape and configuration as to be substantially tted to the front opening in said frame structure for closure thereof with the masking Wall front face disposed in a substantially vertical position when said receptacle structure is 'in its substantially upright rear position. and a foot-engaging means on said receptacle structure in the vicinity of the bottom of said masking wall means to the rear of the iront face thereof, the latter having an access hole therein to permit passage of the toe of a person's foot to foot-operative engagement of said foot-engaging means.

WILLIAMEWHEEIIB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 'ille of this patent: 

